More on the AEBN lawsuit

SAN FRANCISCO from www.courthousenews.com- – Gay porn companies forced a man to inject models’ penises with a prescription enhancement drug and fired him after he poked his thumb with a syringe during a shoot, the man claims in Superior Court.

Ronald Baker claims Adult Entertainment Broadcast Network and others required employees to inject “models” with TriMix, which came via U.S. mail without prescriptions.

The complaint states: “Defendants require employees, who are not models and are not trained or certified in any manner to give injections, to inject controlled substances for erectile dysfunction using a hypodermic syringe into the model’s penis. The model can then maintain an erection for multiple hours in duration, during which time substantial shooting of the film can take place at one time without lengthy breaks to ensure the actor maintains an erection.”

Baker says the models were not screened for HIV, sexually transmitted diseases or hepatitis before the injections. And he claims the companies had no policies, protocols or plans to prevent or respond to exposure to blood-borne pathogens.

“After months of refusing directions and pressure by his employer to inject models with TriMix, plaintiff followed the directions of his employer and injected TriMix into a model’s penis. While replacing the cap on the syringe, the tip of the syringe pierced the cap and plaintiff’s thumb,” the complaint states.

Baker, hired as a grip, says he quickly washed his hands and was told to stop the shoot.

Although the model said he was HIV-negative, the companies could not confirm that and “had no idea how to respond to plaintiff’s apparent exposure,” the complaint states.

Baker says he tested negative for HIV and hepatitis C after the incident.

But upon learning how the companies procured the drug, he refused to continue giving injections and hired an attorney. The companies stopped paying his wages and health benefits shortly after that, he says.

“Defendants required its employees to perform injections when they have no skill, training, licensure or special knowledge to perform such injections. They are not medical professionals and no medical professionals are on site at the time such injections are being performed,” the complaint states.

“It is significant that defendants required its employees to perform injections in the penises of models engaged in pornography in which the employer does not know the HIV or hepatitis status of the models injected. Such conduct is startling given that the models are engaging in sexual conduct at the behest of the employer to shoot pornographic films for profit.”

Baker says he suffered severe emotional distress and will need to be rechecked for diseases.

Baker seeks punitive damages for wrongful termination, negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress, and violations of the business and professions code and the Labor Code.
He is represented by Elisa Stewart with Stewart & Musell.